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Oklahoma Wesleyan University has agreed to a dismissal of its federal lawsuit against the Office for Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Education. The action comes after the government validated the university’s legal position and withdrew the Title IX mandate on campus sexual assault which was the subject of the lawsuit. 

 

University President, Dr. Everett Piper says Oklahoma Wesleyan sued the Department of Education in 2016.  The suit alleged that the Obama Education Department had unlawfully issued Title IX guidance in 2011 and had unilaterally imposed unfair and impermissible conditions on all colleges and universities.

 

According to Piper, the mandate violated the privacy rights of female students, denied due process for all students, and undercut the role of local law enforcement to investigate and adjudicate sexual misconduct.

 

While many institutions objected to the mandate and are now defending lawsuits for trying to implement previous regulations, OKWU was the only university in the country to challenge the government’s imposition in the courts.

 

The University partnered in the lawsuit with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. FIRE’s executive director, Robert Shibley, praised Oklahoma Wesleyan for standing up for campus due process and fairness. 

 

The order of dismissal was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.